Carry Me
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: "Carry me." Sequel to A Cave Detour.


Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't...

Summary: "Carry me." Sequel to _A Cave Detour_.

A/N: This story was requested by Quarterhorseranch and is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and is the sequel to _A Cave Detour_. Enjoy!

**Carry Me**

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I waded through the flooded marsh. It was only up to my fetlocks at the moment, but Alambiel was already skittish. She truly hated being in the Northern Marshes. I hid my amusement behind an impassive look when she scowled over her shoulder at me. There was no other way back to Cair Paravel that would not put us days out of our path.

Alambiel muttered under her breath in that Irish of hers, lamenting Murphy and Centaurs. I still did not quite understand how the things she blames her Murphy for are inevitably lain at my hooves for good measure. I touched her shoulder and she jumped. "Don't do that!"

Not quite able to hide my smirk, I bowed. "Forgive me for startling you, my Lady, but I thought I should remind you we need to pick up our pace if you wish to be out of the Marshes before nightfall."

She graced me with a scathing look, either for the formality with which I spoke or how I had startled her…or it could have been both. "We should have spent another night in the cave. Or you could have let us leave the cave before noon."

I loved her fire. It was difficult to keep from chuckling at my Alambiel's fierce temper. "We had to wait to ensure our safe departure."

Alambiel scowled but didn't bother to argue as she turned back around to pick her way through the marsh. I noticed a large eel slithering through a shallow area off to our right. Fortunately, Alambiel did not. The thought occurred to me that I might have a way of tricking the little minx…a prank that would more than repay the many, many times she had deviled me. There was a long dark tree branch mostly hidden in the murky water.

Raising my hoof, I carefully stepped down on the log. It bumped against Alambiel's left ankle. Her jump out of the water was nearly as impressive as the fact that she landed on the only large boulder near her. Alambiel lifted her hands in the air. "That's it. I'm done. No more walking through the eel-infested Marshes. Nope. Not going to do it."

Being sure not to step on the log again, I schooled my features into a stern mask. "Alambiel, we must keep going."

She looked at the water then looked at me. "Carry me."

I laughed aloud. "Alambiel!"

"Don't you laugh, Oreius. I'm serious. If you want me to get to the other side of the Marshes, you're going to have to carry me."

Not quite managing to stifle my chuckle, I waded over to her and held out my hand. "All right, my Milis Cantalach. I will carry you."

Alambiel gave me a skeptical look. Crossing her arms, she narrowed her eyes. "You're not going to do something like drop me or just toss me into the eel-infested muck, are you?"

"No, sweet, I won't." I moved closer, still holding out my hand. "Come here, Alambiel, and I will carry you."

That finally seemed to convince her…or she spotted something slithering near the rock, I was not certain. But, Alambiel placed her hand in mine, allowing her to swing on my back. I brought her hand up and brushed a kiss against her knuckles then pressed her hand against my chest. "Relax, Sepphora."

"Easy for you to say." I hid a smile at her irritable grumbling and the way she clung to me. "We should have gone the long way."

"Not enough supplies and we are expected back at the Cair the day after tomorrow."

She didn't reply and leaned back some so there was some space between us. She tensed a few times as eels invariably crossed my path. It was probably well that there were no large boulders nearby as I was not certain I would be able to coax Alambiel into being carried if she changed her mind. Reaching back, I patted her knee. "Is Tuulea still very unhappy with us?"

Alambiel huffed. "You've only heard a third of the lectures I have because apparently, even though she is very happy for us, we should have told her right away then she wouldn't have had cause to worry that perhaps we were not suited to each other."

I could not quite keep the amusement out of my voice. "Did you know that Silverstone and Illusin decided they were justified in threatening me should I ever not treat you as precious as you are?"

"Really?" Alambiel laughed then wrapped her arms around my chest, leaning forward so her breath tickled my ear. "In that case, I'm telling on you for dragging me through the Marshes."

I laughed. "I am carrying you, sweetheart, not dragging you."

Whatever Alambiel was going to say was lost in her yelp as I stumbled. The murky waters had plunged deeper, coming up to my barrel just below my swords and Alambiel's boots. The muddy bed clung to my hooves. I struggled to find steadier footing until I finally jumped clear, landing on a drier section of moss and scrub grass.

Alambiel had her hands locked in front of me. Glancing down, I could see how white her knuckles were as she clutched her hands together. Covering her hands, I looked over my shoulder. "Are you all right?"

Her eyes were wide but she nodded. It still took the better part of an hour before she relaxed her grip. I did take more care to choose shallower paths, though. Eventually, Alambiel unwrapped her arms from around me and then I felt her hands in my hair. Her fingers lightly combed through my hair, pulling back the loose locks that I normally kept out of my eyes. "Oreius?" For a brief moment, the touch of her hands disappeared from my hair, but the locks she had gathered didn't fall forward again, so she must have braided them back. "How many protocols are we breaking?"

"What do you mean?"

Her hands were in my hair again. "I mean by you carrying me…again. The last two times you carried me it was because there was no other way. This time…not so much."

"Alambiel, we are not breaking any protocols or even abusing good manners." I paused, trying to gather my thoughts and ignore the distraction of her nails lightly brushing against my neck. "It is not often that Centaurs will agree to suspend their dignity to carry anyone…not related to them. However, when a Centaur has his heart captured by a Nymph, it is not the least surprising for him to carry her…although it is usually only after they are betrothed or married."

Her hands stilled. "Please tell me Tuulea won't assume we did something like elope just because you're carrying me while we're courting."

I laughed aloud. "The only assumption that might be made is that perhaps we are betrothed." As her fingers began combing through my hair again, I had to ask, "What are you doing?"

"Putting in braids." A touch of amusement entered her voice as she rested her chin on my shoulder. "Don't worry, they look like warrior braids. And I'm not putting in too many." Her voice shifted to a lethally sweet tone as she added, "However, if you ever decide to trick me into thinking there's a disgusting eel slithering against me again, I'll not only dye your hair and tail pink and purple, not to mention braiding them with flowers, but I'll melt down your armor _and_ render your armory utterly unrecognizable. We understand each other, a chara?"

"Quite well, my Milis Canatalch."

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! More KnockOut fluff! Requests? Suggestions? Leave a review and let me know. :D**


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